


I Wish I’d Done Everything on Earth with You

by FromTheBoundlessSea



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo is a mother, Do Not Separate The Heirs Of Durin, Durin Family, Dwarves and Hobbits Have the Same Lifespan, F/M, Families of Choice, Female Bilbo Baggins, Finding a home, Healing, Healthy Relationships, Hurt Bilbo Baggins, Kíli is good with kids, Mental Health Issues, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Young Bilbo Baggins, that’s why it’s rated M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 15:21:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17942204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FromTheBoundlessSea/pseuds/FromTheBoundlessSea
Summary: After suffering years of abuse at the hands of her husband Otho, Daisy is finally able to break free and find a life for her and her daughter.Asking only for a home for her and her daughter after her contract is finished, Daisy may find more than she ever hoped and ever dreamed. She might find the life her parents always wanted for her. She might find the person her daughter needs.





	1. Daisy

Daisy listened as the dwarves left. They tried to be quiet, but she knew every creaky step and every silent one in this smial. She became alert at the slightest noise in her home. It was dear of them, really, to be so quiet. When they had burst into Bag End, Daisy had never felt such warmth in her home since her parents had been alive. They had sung and drank and told jokes a Took would find funny. Even so, they were ever so polite to her. They thanked her for her hospitality and apologized for coming so unannounced. Gandalf had apparently told them their arrival was expected.

She listened for what felt like ages, but she knew only four hours had passed. Daisy glanced over at Otho’s sleeping form. Her husband had a crease in his brow and a permanent frown etched upon his features. He had not been pleased by the dwarves’ presence, but hospitality had won out and he had allowed them to stay. But when talk of a quest and a dragon came, Otho had sent Daisy to the kitchen since she had _too many fanciful thoughts as it was_. She had the angered voices of her husband and Gandalf, but not the words. Either way, when she returned with a plate for the dwarven leader, no more talk of the quest happened in Daisy’s presence.

Then, she had heard them sing.

Their voices were so much deeper than any voices she had ever heard. Their song was so sorrowful that, when she had brought them a last round of tea before she headed to bed, she had cried. A young dwarf, he didn’t even really have a beard, offered her a handkerchief to dab her eyes with. She thanked him and he smiled and nodded his head in reply. She listened to their song finish and collected their tea. She directed them to the cupboards where they might find extra pillows and blankets and wished them all a good night.

She climbed into bed and decided that she would go with them. And so, she had waited. And now, there she was, getting ready to leave the only home she had ever known.

She had a bag already packed. It was in her mother’s old glory box. Otho never bothered with anything in there. She krept from her room and made her way to the study. When she arrived, she changed into her mother’s old wandering trousers and shirt and her father’s old waistcoat and jacket. When she was all dressed she turned to the desk to write two letters. The first was addressed to her husband.

_Otho,_

_Bag End is yours, just as you always wanted. I leave you a free man to do as you please._

_Daisy_ ~~_Sackville_ ~~_~~-~~ Baggins _

The second letter was to her dearest and most loyal friend Hamfast.

_My Dearest Hamfast,_

_We are finally free._

_When you and Bell find this letter, we will be long gone and I do not think we shall ever return. I hope that, when all is said and done, I shall write to you again. But life is filled with so many unknowns that I cannot be certain. But do not fret, whatever path lies ahead of us I know it shall be a better than what we have here._

_I thank you for everything you and Bell have done for us. If it were not for you, we would have been lost. You two have been my greatest source of strength and I shall think of you always. If it weren’t for you both I would have lost myself in this smial and I fear I would have faded from despair alone. I wish we could give you a proper goodbye, but it cannot be._

_Hamfast, you have been the brother I always wanted and I know if I were alone in this smial, I would have let you go to my uncle and beg for his interference. I will always love you for the quiet protection you have offered me and the true friendship you have given me._

_Give Bell and your children my love. You have been our family for so long and I shall miss you all._

_With all my love and devotion,_

_Daisy Baggins_

She folded up the second letter and stuffed it into her pocket. The first she left on the desk for Otho to find in the morning.

Daisy opened one of the drawers and pulled out her father’s old letter opener. Pulling her sleeping braid tightly, she cut her pale golden hair until it hung limply around her ears. She refused to cry. Her mother had always loved her hair. She contemplated leaving the letter opener there, but knew she did not truly know the dwarves. Yes, Gandalf seemed to approve them, but they were still men she did not know. And she hadn’t seen Gandalf in many, many years.

She pocketed the letter opener.

Her final stop was the nursery.

Daisy made her way to the small bed and brushed her daughter’s hair. Eglantine roused almost as easily as her mother did. Her big brown eyes fluttered open.

“Are we leaving?” her darling girl asked. “To where the loud people are going?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” Daisy pressed a soft kiss to her daughter’s dark curls. “We are going somewhere far away where your father can never find us.”

Eglantine sat up, rubbing her eyes, and made to get ready while her mother got her packed bag out as well. Her daughter was nothing like her father temperament-wise and everything like Daisy’s own father, Bungo Baggins. She was a sweet child that had been Daisy’s only joy in the horrible ten-year marriage she shared with Otho.

When they were both ready, they made their way out of Bag End, careful to miss all the creaky steps. Taking her daughter’s hand as they left the smial that had never truly been their home. They went quickly to the Gamgee’s home just down the street and slipped the letter under their door.

Daisy lifted her daughter into her arms, their packs balancing the weight between them. “Sleep, sweetheart. When you wake, we’ll be off on an adventure.”

“Like Grandma?”

“That’s right, love.”

—

“Wait!” Daisy began to panic as she ran towards the dwarves and their ponies. She hadn’t accounted for ponies. “Wait! I’ll be your burglar!”

The dwarves all turned to her slowly. If she had cared at all, she would have seen Gandalf giving a smug smile. The leader of the company, Thorin, she believed he was called, who was already on his pony, turned to look down at her and she went right up to him. He was the one she needed to convince.

Eglantine shifted in Daisy’s arms and she set her daughter down carefully. Her little girl wrapped her arms around Daisy’s leg and pressed her face into her thigh.

“I’ll be your burglar,” she repeated, in case the leader hadn’t heard her.

Thorin, she was quite certain that was his name, glared down at her. “And you bring a child? We have no need of nurse maids. As you can see, we’re all fully grown men.”

Daisy’s hand clenched in her pocket at the hilt of her letter opener. “You’re a king, correct?” she asked.

“I am,” he replied gruffly.

“Then I ask that you give my daughter and I sanctuary. You give us a place in your mountain and, in return, I shall face your dragon for you.”

Thorin jumped from his pony with ease and handed his reins to a bald and tattooed dwarf. He stalked over to Daisy and she pulled Eglantine closer to her and she could feel her daughter curling in on herself. Daisy’s hand tightened on the letter opener and she was almost certain the hilt would snap.

“And you think you can face a dragon?” It was almost a sneer.

Daisy lifted her chin proudly, drawing every ounce of her Took courage. “I have faced things scarier than a dragon, Master Dwarf.”

He narrowed his eyes at her and walked around her, as though a hunter assessing his prey. Daisy pressed her daughter’s face into her thigh. Her darling girl was trembling and she knew her daughter was so very close to crying. “What of your husband? Surely he cannot be pleased that his wife and child have decided to go on a quest. Does he know that you are stealing his child away. In dwarven custom, that’s a crime. I have every right to march you back to your husband right now.” He glanced at her hair. “It’s obvious you feel shame for your crime.”

Daisy’s breath stuttered in her throat.

“Mummy, I don’t want to go home,” Eglantine finally spoke. She never spoke in front of strangers. Her darling girl looked up at Thorin with wide brown eyes, tears beginning to fall. “Please, sir. Please let us come with you. I can sew and wrap bandages really well and I can make bindweed paste for broken bones and arnica oil for swelling and bruises.” Fat tears began to spill down her cheeks. “My mummy is really brave. She can fight a dragon. She can fight anything. Please don’t take us back home.”

Daisy looked to her daughter and then hesitantly to Thorin. He was looking down at Eglantine and then his gaze when back to her.

“You wish to claim sanctuary?” he asked. Daisy nodded quickly. He sighed and glared at Gandalf. “You planned this?”

“Not at all,” the wizard replied. “I was unaware that Daisy even had a child.”

“How convenient,” Thorin grumbled. “Fine. I give you sanctuary. We’ll be stopping in Rivendell. Your daughter will wait there until you are able to send for her.”

Daisy gave a wavering smile. She gave a deep bow. “Thank you,” she breathed. “Thank you.”

They were free.


	2. Kíli

Kíli helped the hobbit woman up onto her pony. It had been difficult to separate her from her daughter, but Kíli had gotten down to the little girl’s level and promised that he’d put her on the pony next, he just needed to get her mother up first.

“Thank you,” the woman, she looked so small compared to him, said. He could probably pick her up with one hand if he wanted to.  

Kíli felt heat spread across his cheeks at the small smile she gave. He wished it reached her hazel eyes. He nodded and helped the little girl up in front of her mother. The child’s eyes widened and she looked back at her mother.

“Mummy! We’re tall!”

That’s when Kíli saw her real smile. She seemed to melt into her daughter and pressed a tender kiss to her dark curls. “We are, love. We are.”

—

Kíli watched as Ori slowly approached the hobbit woman, she insisted they just call her by her first name, Daisy. They were still riding, but they were all mostly silent, unsure of what they should even talk about with a child present. Ori was likely always going to be the one to break the ice. He was the epitome of the safest choice. Kíli doubted a bee would feel threatened by Ori.

“So, Miss… uh… Daisy,” Ori began. “What is your daughter’s name.

“Eglantine,” Daisy said gently.

“I’m ten!” The girl shouted, holding up her ten fingers. “My favorite color is chocolate and my favorite animal is a bunny.”

This got a short chuckle from a few of the dwarves.

Ori smiled at Eglantine. “Such a big girl,” he said with a sure nod and the girl beamed. Ori glanced at Daisy again. The hobbit woman was stiff and firmly looking at her daughter. She wasn’t smiling, but Kíli could see it a little in her eyes. “Does your mummy have a favorite color?”

“She likes chocolate too! And her favorite animal is a dove!”

“What about your daddy?”

Eglantine’s bright smile slipped off like one might dismount a pony. Kíli watched as Daisy tensed and the little girl pressed herself into her mother’s chest.

“He doesn’t have one.”

—

When they set up camp for the night, Daisy pulled out a doll for her daughter, Kíli thought it might be an elf by the ears, but hobbits had pointy ears too. She set up a sleeping mat for her and her daughter. The two helped Bombur out with cooking dinner. The fat dwarf complimented her on the meal she provided for them the previous night and Daisy smiled and nodded her thanks. Eglantine told them all her mummy was the best cook in all the Shire.

Daisy and Eglantine went to bed early. No one was going to ask her to keep watch until her daughter was dropped off at Rivendell. Once they were both asleep, that was when the dwarrow began to talk.

“ _Are you going to explain this to us, Tharkûn?_ ” Thorin all but growled in Khuzdul.

The wizard sighed. “ _I was speaking the truth when I said I was unaware that Daisy had a child. I wasn’t even aware that she had gotten married. She is only forty herself._ ”

Kíli, who had been taking a drink from his water skin, began choking and his brother, Fíli, began to pound the flat of his hand against Kíli’s back. The rest of the company stared at Tharkûn in shock. Thorin looked absolutely livid.

“ _She’s only a child!_ ” It was Bombur and Glóin and Dori who shouted this in unison.

Bofur and Bifur were holding back the fatter dwarf. Nori was holding back his brother, although he looked equally annoyed. Glóin was not being held back, but he looked about ready to take an axe to the wizard’s head.

“ _Enough!_ ” The air seemed to grow cold and even the light of the fire dimmed at Tharkûn’s shout.

Kíli, who had regained some of his composure, glanced at the sleeping hobbits to make sure they had not awoken. Although they were in similar positions as before, Kíli noticed a slight shift between them. Daisy’s eyelids fluttered only slightly, indicating she was very much awake, but was pretending to sleep on. Kíli knew that she couldn’t understand what they were saying, but she could hear the tone and the volume. She had pulled Eglantine closed to her chest and Kíli saw the girl’s hands fist into her mother’s clothes.

The young dwarf’s stomach dropped. They were afraid. They were afraid of them. They didn’t know the dwarrow were getting angry on their behalf.

“Is forty the majority age for hobbits?” Kíli asked, switching the conversation to Westron.

Tharkûn looked at him before briefly glancing at Daisy and Eglantine. “Thirty is, actually. Although hobbits and dwarrow have the same life expectancy, hobbits tend to mature faster than dwarrow do. Their childhoods are much shorter.”

Kíli glanced at the hobbits and saw Daisy relax, but only slightly. “So, she’s not a child by her people’s standards.”

“No, she is not. She’s very much an adult, although I know she would be considered rather young by your standards.”

She was almost forty years younger than Kíli. The realization sat strangely in his stomach.

That night, Kíli dreamed of the hobbit woman sitting in his father’s old chair back in Ered Luin, singing softly to her daughter. She looked at home there. In his dream, she looked up at him and smiled.

It reached her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kíli’s catching feels.


	3. Daisy

Daisy began to help with meals since the dwarves hadn’t given her any other duties yet. She wanted to be as helpful as possible. She didn’t want to be a burden. What if they sent her away if she was one?

“Excuse me,” she went to Master Balin. He seemed to be the one in charge of the logistics of the Company, especially since he was in charge of the contract. The dwarf looked at her and smiled kindly. He vaguely reminded Daisy of her grandfather. “I… I heard some of the dwarves talk about going to bathe in the river. I… I was wondering if I could wash everyone’s travel clothes while they do. It’s… it’s always nice to get into clean clothes after taking a bath.”

Master Balin smiled. “Of course, lass. It would be very welcomed I think. But what if you?”

Daisy blinked. “Me?”

“When will you…”

“Oh!” Daisy blushed. “I haven’t done as much traveling or anything really laborious like you all have. My clothes are still clean. I’ll do a little birdbath. I’ll wash Eglantine though.”

The dwarf nodded. “She’s a sweet thing, your daughter.”

Daisy beamed. “She is.

—

She started with cleaning her daughter off. The dwarves were bathing on the other side of large boulders that separated an alcove of the river. She was glad that they had given her some privacy. Images of an opened bathroom door and a dark shadow looming in its place shuddered through Daisy’s mind and she pushed them away, focusing on her daughter instead.

“Mummy, I like Master Bifur,” her daughter said as her hair was washed. “He carved me a bunny toy!”

Daisy smiled. She liked Master Bifur too. He could only speak in the dwarven language, but he understood what she was saying. He was kind and had his cousin, the hatted dwarf, Master Bofur, assure Eglantine that the axe in his head didn’t hurt. The little faunt has been skeptical and shyly asked the dwarf if she could kiss his head to make it feel even better since _that’s what mummy did_ for her. He had made her the bunny carving as a thank you.

“I like him too,” Daisy said.

“All of them are really nice! Master Thorin and Master Dwalin are scary though.”

Daisy finished washing her daughter’s hair and carried her to the shoreline to dry off. She felt comfortable with most of the Company’s dwarves. She wouldn’t necessarily trust any of them with Eglantine save for maybe Master Bifur, but she was most fearful of Master Thorin and Master Dwalin.

The dwarf king didn’t appear to be a cruel person, but Daisy feared his anger. He had snapped at his nephews a few times when both of them had tried telling ghost stories about orcs. Master Balin had come to the king’s defense, but his quickness to anger startled Daisy greatly. She didn’t know what to think of Master Dwalin. He was quiet, but she felt like there was great violence underneath his cool exterior. He would have to be to be the king’s main guard.

“We just shouldn’t bother them, sweetheart,” Daisy said. “They have better things to worry about.”

Daisy finished drying of her daughter and began to wash the Company’s clothes. All of them had denied her the option of washing their underthings, but everything else she could wash. She made sure that everything was clean and even mended a few things. Then, she hung them up to dry near where the dwarves were bathing. Daisy then gave herself a quick birdbath and set out back to camp to fix a small lunch for everyone.

It’s the best that she could do.

She didn’t want to be a burden.

She couldn’t afford to.

—

“Any hobbit songs for us, lass?” Bofur asked her while they settled into their camp for the night. “You’ve heard a few of ours.”

“Mummy has the best voice!” Eglantine shouted. “Even the birds stop to listen to her! Uncle Hamfast said so!”

Daisy blushed. She had always loved singing, ever since she was a little girl. She still sang lullabies to her daughter at bed time, although she hadn’t since they’ve been on the quest. Otho has hated her singing. She could sometimes still feel the press of his hand against her mouth.

“Could I write it down?” Ori asked, as though Daisy had already agreed to sing.

“I…” She looked down at her daughter, who looked up at her with big brown eyes. Daisy just couldn’t say no to those eyes. “Of course.” She thought for a few moments. “Hobbits don’t know who made us. We don’t know where we were made. Some say we’re an offset of Men, but we live so much longer than they do. Some say we’re related to dwarves because of our height, but the ears and the feet don’t explain that. We don’t know where we come from, but we spent many years wandering. This is a song that’s been passed down through the generations.” She cleared her throat.

‘ _Far, far above the clouds, soaring with the wind / A falcon flies alone, silent as the sky / I hear his lonely cry, never can he rest / I walk with you along an empty winding road / We’re far from the ones we love, and never can return / Never can we see again the countries of our birth_ ’

Daisy began to slowly stroke her daughter’s hair as she continued to sing. There really was no going back from this.

‘ _When will I ever find a place to call my home? / Sadness circling like a falcon in the sky / When will I ever find a way to speak my heart / To someone who knows what it is to be alone?_ ’

It had been different in the beginning. Otho had been good and kind and charming. She was just a little orphan, a girl really, who wanted to have someone’s attention. For someone to love her.

She remembered the first time he hit her.

She remembered the first time he forced himself on her.

She remembered the first time he called her worthless.

‘ _Far, far above the clouds, against the setting sun / A falcon flies alone, silent as the sky / I hear his lonely cry, never can he rest / I long to spread my wings and fly into the light / Open this lonely heart to One who understands / When will I ever find a way to speak my heart?_ ’

She didn’t have to worry about that anymore. Otho would never touch either of them ever again. Eglantine would never have to grow up near that hobbit again.

‘ _When will I ever find a place to call my home? / Sadness and loneliness, a falcon in the sky / When will I ever find a way to speak my heart / To someone who knows what it is to be alone?_ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> song from the Ghibli movie “Tales from Earthsea”


	4. Kíli

Kíli’s heart stuttered in his chest when the three trolls found her. They should have gone directly to Thorin. He shouldn’t have allowed Fíli to make Daisy go and get the ponies without even a dagger to help her. He should have never put her in such danger considering–

“What are you then?” One of the trolls asked. “An oversized squirrel?”

Kíli prayed to Mahal that Fíli brought the others back quickly. 

“I’m a burglar–uh–hobbit,” Daisy said. Here eyes darting around her. She was shaking. 

“A burglahobbit?” The second troll asked as they got closer to her. 

“Can we cook ‘er?” The first grinned. 

“We can try!” The troll tried to grab her and Kíli’s heart seized. 

Daisy was able to dodge the hand but was cornered by the third troll. 

Where was everyone?

“She wouldn’t make more than a mouthful, not when she’s skinned and boned!” The third troll pouted. 

“Perhaps there’s more burglarhobbits around these parts.” The first grinned. “Might be enough for a pie.”   
“Grab him!” The third ordered. 

The trolls tried to catch her, but Daisy was able to dodge them, even getting the the third to hit the second when he tried to hit her. 

“It’s too quick!” The second complained.

“Come here, you little…” The first growled. 

Daisy almost escaped when she was caught by the leg by the first troll and held upside down in the air. She yelped. Kíli’s breath caught in his throat. 

What was taking the Company so long? 

Mahal! Eglantine. What would happen to her if–

“Gotcha!” The first troll howled with pride. “Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn’t?”

“No,” Daisy whispered. Tears threatened to drip from her eyelashes. 

“She’s lying,” the second troll reasoned. 

“No, I’m not!” She hiccuped. 

“Hold her toes over the fire,” the second leered. “Make her squeal.”

Kíli couldn’t take it anymore. He rushed out of the bushes and cut the second troll in the leg as he unsheathed his sword, making the beast howl in pain and fall down. 

“Drop her!” He growled.

“You what?” The troll holding Daisy looked bewildered.    
“I said,” Kíli spoke slowly and had never used such a dangerous tone before, “drop her.”

Daisy was thrown at him and Kíli dropped his sword in order to catch her, but they both fell backward. Kíli held her closely to his chest to absorb as much of the impact as he could. 

The rest of the Company charged from the bushes, yelling and brandishing their weapons. They began fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering at their legs. 

Kíli scrambled to put Daisy under him and put himself between her and the violence. “Run. Get Eglantine and run,” he ordered. “We’ll find you once we’ve settled this.”

Kíli, sadly, didn’t have time to make sure Daisy did as he said. He pushed himself up and threw himself into action. 

Suddenly, he saw Daisy being hoisted into the air and Kíli froze, as the the others in the Company. The trolls held the hobbit by her arms and her legs. 

“Daisy!” Kíli stepped forward on instinct. 

“No!” Thorin’s arm shot in front of him. 

“Lay down your arms, or we’ll rip hers off,” the first troll ordered. 

Daisy was whimpering and Kíli’s heart broke. To his relief, Thorin planted his sword in the ground and the others followed suit. 

—

After Daisy’s bold claim that the dwarrow were riddled with parasites, most of them began to shout about how they were perfectly hygienic and Daisy was being an idiot and how they shouldn’t have trusted her. Kíli saw Daisy flinch slightly at those two comments but otherwise stayed strong in her conviction. She glanced over at them and Kíli realized what she was doing. Before he could say anything, Thorin kicked the other members of the Company and then they all got it. 

“I’ve got parasites as big as my arm,” Óin shouted.

“Mine are the biggest parasites,” Kíli added. He saw Daisy’s lips twitch upward for a second. “I’ve got huge parasites!”   
“We’re riddled,” Nori assured their captors. 

“Yes, I’m riddled,” Ori squeaked.    
“Yes we are,” Dori agreed. “Badly!”

“What would you have us do, then,” the first troll asked, “let ‘em all go?”   
“Well…” Daisy bit her lip, fumbling with her pockets.

“You think I don’t know what you’re up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!”   
“Ferret?” Daisy looked vaguely offended.    
“Fools?” The third troll looked more confused than offended. 

The first troll grabbed Daisy and she screamed. Her hand shot from her pocket and she held something that glinted in the morning light. She slashed upward and the troll holding her cried out in pain, dropping her to clutch his eye. “Why you little–”

“The dawn take you all!” Tharkûn’s voice boomed from where he appeared on top if large rocks above the clearing. As the trolls debated on whether or not the wizard could be eaten, Tharkûn striked the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touched the trolls’ skin, they began turning into stone as they screamed and howled in pain. Within seconds, there were three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. 

“Mummy!” Eglantine scrambled down the rocks from behind Tharkûn and practically threw herself into her mother’s arms. 

Daisy held her daughter close and began to whisper words of comfort in a language Kíli didn’t recognize. Tharkûn went to work on freeing all the dwarrow. When he was freed, Óin went over to her to check her over to make sure she was okay. Kíli bounded over to them as soon as he was freed as well. 

“I’m fine, Master Óin,” she assured him. “It’s nothing bad.”

“You thought quickly with that little knife, lass,” Óin chuckled. “But why did you have a letter opener on you?”

Daisy paled and held her daughter closer. “Because I didn’t know who I could trust.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eglantine will get a POV next.   
> Some Kíli x Eggie bonding too!


	5. Eglantine

Eglantine curled in on herself as her mother slid them both into the large crack in the rock, finding themselves in a cave. Gandalf counted them all off.

“Kíli!” She heard Master Thorin shouting. “Run!”

Soon enough, the dwarf king and his nephew jumped into the cave along with everyone else. A horn sounded in the distance and everyone strained to listen to the growing conflict outside their place of safety.

An orc fell into the cave and, in an instant, Master Kíli stepped in front of Eglantine and her mother, bow ready, only to see that another arrow had already killed it. Master Thorin plucked out the arrow and examined it. “Elves,” he said it almost like it was a bad word. It was how Eglantine’s father used to say her and her mother’s name when he was really mad. Eglantine whimpered and her mother held her closer.

“I cannot see where the pathway leads,” Master Dwalin called from the end of the cave. “Do we follow it or no?”

“Follow it, of course!” Master Bofur shouted.

“I think that would be wise,” the wizard said, his tone knowing.

“I can carry her if you’d like,” Master Kíli asked as the Company gathered their belongings.

Daisy shifted Eglantine slightly in her arms. “I’m fine,” the words came out in a wince.

“I saw you fall,” he said softly. “If you had boots on, I wouldn’t have noticed, but I can tell you’ve twisted your ankle. Carrying her won’t help us move quickly.” Eglantine peeked out from behind her dark curly hair. Master Kíli was always nice to her. He even gave her some of his food during breakfast. “Please, let me help.” Daisy tightened her hold on Eglantine before nodding. Master Kíli held Eglantine to his chest. “Put your arms around my neck, Eggie,” he told her. She did so and pressed her face into his shoulder. “Put your arm around my waist, Miss Daisy. It’s best to keep as much weight off it until Óin can take a look at it.”

The Company began to follow the path. Master Kíli kept Eglantine securely against him with her mother close to his side. The way was narrow, but it wasn’t too difficult to get through. The pathway eventually opened out into an open area. There was a valley and within it was a beautiful white city that Eglantine had seen pictures of in her grandma’s traveling journal.

“The Valley of Imraldis,” Gandalf announces. “In the Common Tongue, it’s known by another name.”

“Rivendell,” Daisy whispered.

The wizard continued. “Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea.”

“This was your plan all along,” Master Thorin growled. His anger was so very different from the calm feeling the elven city was emitting that Eglantine quickly buried her face in Master Kíli’s neck. “To seek refuge with our enemy.”

“You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield.” The wizard sounded exhausted and Eglantine wondered how often this argument had been made. “The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself.”

“You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing?” Master Thorin sneered. “They will try to stop us.”

“Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me.”

The Company walked across a bridge and entered the actual city. A few elves were strolling about. Eglantine had never seen so many Tall Folk before. Her father didn’t like them. He said they were untrustworthy but her mother said there was many good Tall Folk as there were bad ones, just like with hobbits. She hadn’t said that when Otho was around, though. Eglantine thought they must be good people if they could build such a beautiful city. However, Eglantine could sense the uneasiness of the dwarves.

A dark-haired elf walked down a flight of stairs to greet them. “Mithrandir,” he said.

“Ah, Lindir!” Gandalf’s replied. Eglantine wondered how many names he had. The dwarves called him another name too.

As the two Tall Folk greeted each other, the dwarves murmured amongst themselves. To Master Dwalin, Master Thorin whispered, “Stay sharp.”

“Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen,” the elf said.

“I must speak with Lord Elrond,” the wizard replied.

“My lord Elrond is not here.”

“Not here? Where is he?”

Suddenly, the horns from earlier were heard. The Company turned and saw a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a quick pace.

“Ifridî bekâr!” Thorin shouted. “Hold ranks!”

The dwarves bunched up into a tight circle with their weapons pointed outward. Eglantine, her mother, and Master Kíli were pushed into the center of the circle. Master Kíli tensed and held the two hobbits closer to him.

The elves arrived and rode in circles around the dwarves. Eventually, they stopped, and one elf separated himself from the others.

“Gandalf.”

The wizard bowed gracefully. “Lord Elrond. Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?“

“Farannem ‘lamhoth i udul o charad,” the elf replied. “Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui.“ the elf dismounted his horse and hugged the wizard. “Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near.” He held up a dark sword and showed it to everyone before handing it to Lindir.

“Ah, that may have been us,” Gandalf actually sounded a little embarrassed.

Thorin stepped out from amongst the dwarves and Lord Elrond turned to look at him. “Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain.”

“I do not believe we have met.”

“You have your grandfather’s bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain.”

“Indeed; he made no mention of you.”

Lord Elrond ignored the insult and turned his gaze to Eglantine and her mother. His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. “Belladonna?”

“She was my mother, my lord,” Daisy said gently. “My name is Daisy Sa… Daisy Baggins. And this is my daughter, Eglantine.”

The elf smiled. “Your mother was a good friend and wonderful person. You and your daughter are much welcome into my home.” He tilted his head slightly. “I see you are injured. My daughter, Arwen, will see to it immediately.”

Daisy nodded. “Thank you.”

A beautiful she-elf came forward, greeted Lord Elrond with a kiss to the cheek before going towards the group of dwarves. “My name is Arwen, please follow me to the women’s quarters.”

Daisy nodded before turning to Master Kíli  “Thank you. I can take her now.”

Hesitantly, Master Kíli passes Eglantine back to her mother. The little hobbit looked back to the dark haired prince as her mother and the she-elf left them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Thorin. He just has some anger problems that wouldn’t look good to a kid who had been through stuff like Eglantine has.  
> Kíli POV next! The Company learns a bit about Daisy and Eglantine’s past experiences. 
> 
> Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen. – We heard you had crossed into the Valley.  
> Ifridî bekâr! – Ready weapons!  
> Mellonnen! Mo evínedh? – My friend! Where have you been?  
> Farannem ‘lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui. – We’ve been  
> hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.


	6. Kíli

The elves fed them mainly green food for dinner, which Kíli didn’t particularly care for on principle, but he knew he had to eat it. Most of the dwarrow, surprisingly, didn’t complain, but that might have been because Eglantine was present and they didn’t want to encourage the already reluctant girl. The little girl was sitting between him and her mother. His heart tightened in his chest when she announced that she was going to sit next to ‘Master Kíli’ and practically dragged her mother in the seat next to her.

“Please, sweetheart,” Daisy said. “You need to eat your vegetables. We haven’t had a lot of them when we were traveling.”

The little girl pouted and scowled at the offending green food. “Don’t wanna,” she said, crossing her arms. “I want more of Master Bombur’s stew.”

Kíli could see Daisy was getting flustered. She kept glancing at the elves nervously as though she was worried that she might offend them. It wasn’t really his place, but he stepped in anyway.

“Hey, Eggie, you should really listen to your mum,” he said. The little hobbit looked at him with utter betrayal. It was almost funny, but Kíli knew he needed to keep a straight face. “Vegetables can make you big and strong. I bet if you eat all of them, you’ll grow to be as big as Master Dwalin someday.”

She narrowed her eyes and looked at him skeptically. “Really?”

“Really,” he nodded. “See, I’m eating all my vegetables.” He carefully took her hand and put it on his bicep before flexing slightly. Her eyes widened. “That’s why we’re all so strong.”

Eglantine snapped her head to Daisy. “Mummy! His arm is hard!”

This got the rest of the Company and a few of the surrounding elves to chuckle.

“Mhm,” he nodded again. “I bet if you eat all your vegetables, you’ll be as big and strong as the lot of us.” Eglantine beamed up at him. “Maybe, if your mum says it’s okay, I can even show you how to fletch some of my arrows tomorrow. I need to make some more anyway.” She tilted her head. Right. She probably didn’t know what fletching was. “You can help me put the feathers on my arrows.”

Eglantine turned to her mother. “Can I, Mummy?” She asked.

Daisy looked worried.

“They won’t have the arrowhead on them yet,” Kíli told her.

Daisy’s eyes softened. “Of course you can, sweetheart,” she said, rubbing her daughter’s back. “But only if you eat your vegetables.”

Eglantine nodded and began to scarf down the green. She was definitely mimicking the dwarven way to eat as opposed to her mother’s more hobbity manners.

Daisy glanced at Kíli and they locked eyes. She mouthed ‘thank you.’

—

As the evening was winding down, Kíli could tell that Eglantine was getting sleepy. She was trying to stay awake to listen to the adult conversations about swords and the map reading, which would happen in a month’s time, but she had had a pretty full and exhausting day and Kíli wondered if she had even gotten any sleep the previous night with all the stuff with the trolls.

“Mummy…” she tugged on Daisy’s sleeve with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other. “I’m sleepy.”

“Okay, sweetheart.”

Daisy stood up and Kíli found himself doing it as well, although the other dwarrow were doing it as well. Daisy startled slightly and blinked at all of them. Was she not used to gentlemen standing for a lady?

She picked her daughter up into her arms and looked to their host. “Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Elrond.”

The elf lord smiled. “Of course. Do you need someone to guide you to your rooms?”

“I know my way,” she said softly. “Thank you.”

After the hobbit and her daughter left, the dwarrow sat down. Kíli glanced at Lord Elrond and saw that he was frowning. The elf glanced at his daughter, who nodded and left the dining hall to go follow Daisy and Eglantine.

“Although I do not like it,” the elf lord began, “there is something that must be addressed.”

Kíli saw his uncle stiffen and the rest of the company tensed.

“When my daughter tended to Ms Baggins’ injuries, there were a few recent bruises which she told my daughter were from trolls you ran into.” Kíli curled his hand into a fist. The image of Daisy being held and squeezed by those monsters would probably haunt him for the rest of his days. “There was also her twisted ankle.”

“And?” Tharkûn asked. “I doubt you bring this up for no reason.”

“The magic of healing is a very peculiar thing, especially for someone who has never experienced it before. Natural healing takes longer and, depending on the type of wound, are traceable by magic even if the physical appearance of said wounds is gone.”

“Your point being?” Thorin asked, guardedly.

“My daughter found evidence that Ms Baggins has  suffered previous injuries that were not inflicted by someone much larger than herself. My daughter noted a few ribs that had healed awkwardly as well as a few fingers. There was also a slight scabbing on her inner lip which seems to imply that it had been split before. In other words…”

“She was being abused,” the wizard whispered. Tharkûn grew pale and the entire room’s energy seemed to shift.

_Abused._

The word echoed in Kíli’s brain and everything suddenly made sense.

Her behavior at Bag End. Those small moments he had brushed aside where she would flinch at her husband’s raised voice. The hobbit’s forceful way of moving her away from the dwarrow. Her empathetic tears over their song of lost home. Her willingness to take her daughter from the safety of the Shire and onto the road. Her uneasiness around them all. The way she and Eglantine withdrew at the mention of her husband. The fact that she carried a letter opener because she hadn’t been sure of who she could trust. The way she brushed off her injuries in favor of keeping her daughter safe. Her asking Thorin for sanctuary.

_Abused._

Her soft smiles and her kindness.

Let the quest hang. He was going to go back to the Shire and murder that pathetic worm of a hobbit. How dare he? How dare he hurt Daisy and—

“Was Eglantine hurt too?” Kíli asked quietly.

If there had been any noise in the dining hall left, there wasn’t any longer. The rest of the dwarrow were teetering between rage and horror. Abuse towards dams was rare, but not unheard of. The offending dwarf would be publicly sheered and then have his dominant hand chopped off.

Had there been no one to protect Daisy? Had she only been able to protect Eglantine.

Mahal… had the hobbit trapped her in their marriage with their daughter?

“There was evidence of a broken wrist,” Lord Elrond said with a tired sigh. “But it is difficult to tell with children since they are more prone to accidents as it is.”

Kíli’s stomach churned.

She might have been hurt to. His—

Kíli pushed himself from the table and stormed off. He needed to break something and he refused for it to be something elvish. They had been kind to Daisy and Eglantine. He would not…

He found a tree and pulled out his sword and began to strike it. Over and over again. He imagined that hobbit pig and killed him over and over again in his mind. He didn’t even notice the tears beginning to gather in his eyes.

“Kí?” Fíli’s voice came from behind him and Kíli stilled. He turned to look at his brother and felt so utterly lost. “Are you okay?”

“She’s my One, Fíli.” The tears that had clung to his eyelashes grew too heavy and they slid down his cheeks. His nose began to burn at the pressure. “She’s my One and she was being hurt and I didn’t know it.” He dropped his sword and fell to his knees. “I didn’t feel it. What sort of…” he buried his face in his hands.

Fíli knelt next to him and put his arm around Kíli’s shoulders. “You didn’t know,” he whispered. “You didn’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw: Kíli was going to refer Eglantine as his daughter within his inner dialogue when he realized she might have been hurt.


	7. Daisy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick warning, Daisy briefly thinks if Otho assaulting her.

When Daisy brought herself and Eglantine to breakfast the next morning, She found the dwarves unusually quiet. They were not their loud talkative selves when Eglantine dragged her to sit near Master Kíli again. They stood and nodded to her again and then returned to their seats to eat. They talked quietly and politely. They acted so differently from the dwarves that had stormed Bag End or the dwarves that took offence to the parasite comment. 

Eglantine seemed to sense nothing wrong and began to babble to Master Kíli about her dream of a talking raven as she finished her breakfast. 

“There are talking ravens, though,” Master Kíli said after Eglantine was finished. 

The little hobbit’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. The Ravens of Erebor that live on Ravenhill can speak. They have their own language. Some speak Westron too.”

Eglantine’s gaze snapped to Master Balin. 

The old dwarf smiled. “It’s true, lassie.”

Daisy smiled at her daughter’s wonder. 

“I can speak to ravens when we move to Erebor!”

What little noise was in the hall was silenced. Daisy’s chest twisted into a tight knot. She set her hand lightly over her daughter’s mouth and looked from Master Thorin to Lord Elrond. The elves weren’t to know. 

Eglantine seemed to realize her mistake as she grew pale and Daisy could feel her daughter’s smile falter under her hand. The girl climbed into her mother’s lap and buried her face into Daisy’s chest. Some eyes were upon them and Daisy felt herself shrink away. Her mind whirled in different directions. 

_ Protect Eglantine.  _

_ Run.  _

_ Not safe.  _

_ Protect Eglantine.  _

_ Would a dwarf fist hurt more than a hobbit’s? _

_ Protect Eglantine.  _

“Once the mountain is reclaimed after the quest,” Master Thorin said, breaking Daisy from her thoughts. “The ravens fled along with us, but they stopped at other mountains. I am sure they will return once Smaug is gone.”

Daisy looked up and saw that Master Thorin was not looking at them. His usual stern expression was gentle and his frown was no longer a tight line, but a soft, natural curve. She glanced around at the rest of the Company and saw not one look of anger. Rather she found they looked worried. 

Master Bifur said something in his dwarven language and everyone seemed to nodd quickly. 

“Miss Daisy?” Master Kíli leaned towards her slowly. “Perhaps you would like to take a walk with Eglantine? If you’re no longer hungry, of course.”

Daisy heard as well as felt her daughter whimper before she nodded. She stood, still holding Eglantine. 

Master Kíli stood with her. He stepped towards her slowly, his hands down and palms raised. “Lord Elrond already knows about the quest,” he told her quietly so that only she and Eglantine might hear. “You and Eggie will always have a place amongst us.”

Daisy closed her eyes trying to keep the tears of relief within her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered. 

“I promised to let Eggie help me fletch my arrows. Will that still be okay?”

Daisy nodded. 

“You and Eggie both are one of us now. It’s our job to protect you, even if it is from one of our own. Never be afraid to tell us if you are uncomfortable, Miss Daisy. Please.”

His voice was so gentle that Daisy loosened her tight hold on her daughter and carried her more normally. “Thank you, Master Kíli.”

“Just Kíli’s fine. You make me feel old by adding master to my name.” A smile tugged on her lips but only briefly. “I’ll find Eggie later and you can watch if you’d like.”

She nodded and left the pavilion, feeling a little more lighthearted. 

—

Daisy woke up with a gasp. Her heart pounded against her chest as she covered her mouth to quiet her sobs. Eglantine was still curled in a ball asleep. Her daughter’s rest had gotten so much easier in the three nights they had been in Rivendell. The little girl felt safe. She knew everyone here would protect her. 

Daisy was glad her daughter could find such rest, but it was not so for her. Her dreams were still haunted by Otho. She could still feel his hands on her body. She could sometimes still feel the way he would grab her hair and bend her over her father’s desk and whisper threats into her ear as he took her from behind. That night, she dreamed of him taking Eglantine away from her as her daughter screamed. 

Slowly, Daisy got out of bed and pulled on the dressing gown over her sleeping shift and to the door. She trusted that nothing would get her daughter. Daisy just needed to breathe for a moment. She opened the door and stepped out and then froze. 

“Master Kíli?”

The dwarf prince’s head shot up to look at her and he stood quickly. “Miss–Miss Daisy.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked softly, closing the door behind herself. Daisy pulled her dressing gown tighter against herself as she watched him fumble for words. 

“It’s my turn to keep watch,” he said quickly once he somewhat regained himself. 

“Keep watch?” Daisy blinked. “But we’re in a city. It’s safe here.” But what if it wasn’t. “Isn’t it?”

Mas–Kíli—he had asked her to simply call him Kíli—seemed to sense her distress. “It is. Eggie will be fine staying here. We just don’t want to get used to not setting up a watch so we just stay up for an hour or so and then wake up the next person.”

“Did you do this back in the Shire too?”

He shook his head. “We talked about rotations and then went to bed since we all knew we were waking up early.”

“Should… Should I be put into the watch too?” She didn’t want to be useless. 

Kíli grimaced slightly. “Probably not by yourself like the rest of us do it. You might take turns with us until you’re better able to defend yourself with that elven letter opener.” He looked over her with slight worry. “Why are you up so late?”

“I…” She couldn’t say it was because of a bad dream. That made her sound childish. “It’s so quiet here,” she said at last. “I’ve never been anywhere so quiet. It’s unnerving, I suppose.” She fiddled with her sleeve. “I don’t particularly like it when it’s so quiet. I don’t like it when it’s so loud either.” She looked up and Kíli looked so pained. His chocolate colored eyes were filled with worry and Daisy just wanted to smooth those slight lines away from his face, but she resisted. “You’ve all been quiet recently. Have I done something wrong?”

“No.” He wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t telling the truth either. 

“Kíli, please.” She came to him and put her hand on his elbow. “I can’t… I can’t handle thinking I have done something to offend any of you. You said I could tell you when I felt uncomfortable. You all changing so drastically overnight frightens me. Please, Kíli.”

“You haven’t offended us, Miss Daisy. We’re trying not to… We’re trying not to let our anger show.”

Daisy’s heart dropped in her stomach. “Have I don’t something to anger—”

“No,” he said quickly. Kíli took her hand in both of his. They were not as large as Lady Arwen’s hands, but they were large and calloused and warm. “Miss Daisy,” he stopped as though he was unsure of how to continue. “Miss Daisy, when Lady Arwen healed you, she noticed some prior injuries that had been untouched by magic and left traces of the past injury.” Daisy’s breath caught in her throat. “We are angry that you had to go through any pain prior to meeting… us…” He squeezed her hand gently. “We are a loud race, us dwarrow. But the anger we feel towards those who would harm women and/or children. It is a dangerous thing. I told you that you are one of us now. In all ways save beads and blood, you’re our family. You and Eggie. We protect our own. Because  _ that  _ hobbit,” he said the word with so much anger and hatred that Daisy’s eyes widened, “is not one of our own, I–we cannot punish him as we would like to.” He gave a labored breath. “We are not angry at you, Miss Daisy. We are angry for you.”

She looked up into his eyes and saw that he spoke the truth. Only Hamfast and Bell had ever been angry for her sake, but they had been people she had known since she was a faunt. These dwarves had known her for barely any time at all and they were angry for her. They wanted justice for her. It made her heart ache, but for once it was in a good way. 

He was still holding her hand and Daisy placed her other hand over both of his. 

“Thank you.” Without thought, she bent her neck and pressed her forehead to his chest. “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay! Moving forward with the romance!


	8. Eglantine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short but sweet chapter ahead

_ Eglantine remembered the first time she ever saw her mummy cry. Eglantine’s father had been in a foul mood, shouting at Eglantine to play more quietly and for her mummy to hurry up with afternoon tea. Her mummy had been sick for a few days, but was better now. Her father had stayed away, saying he didn’t want to get sick too.  _

_ It was the happiest Eglantine ever felt. Her mummy read fun stories to her and showed her some things in her father’s office that had belonged to her mummy’s father. They had to carefully put everything back, but Eglantine loved all of it. She loved it when it was just her and her mummy.  _

_ But her father was back now, smelling like Old Toby and cousin Lobelia’s flower garden. Bag End became quiet again, the laughter Eglantine and her mummy shared, gone. Her mummy’s wide smile was gone too.  _

_ Her mummy came in with a tray carrying Eglantine’s father’s tea. The little hobbit was curled in her little corner out of her father’s way studying her letters. Then, her mummy coughed violently, causing the tray to tumble from her hands and crash onto the floor. She cried out and began to apologize over and over and over as Eglantine’s father began to shout.  _

_ It happened so quickly.  _

Smack!

_ Her mother was on the ground, tears spilling from her eyes as Eglantine’s father ordered his wife to clean up the mess before leaving the smial again.  _

_ “Mummy,” Eglantine said, going closer to the hobbit as she knelt to pick up the broken pieces of china. “I like it better when father isn’t here.” _

_ At that, her mummy cried, big fat tears that ran down her purpling cheek. She took Eglantine into her arms and rocked them both carefully. “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.” _

—

Eglantine liked Master Kíli the most.

He was slow when Eglantine wanted to walk and fast when she wanted him to carry her. 

Eglantine liked Master Kíli the most. 

He made her mummy smile. Smile like she had with Uncle Hamfast and Auntie Bell. Smile like she did when talking about her mummy and papa. Smile like she did when she kissed Eglantine goodnight. 

Eglantine liked Master Kíli. 

She sat in his lap as they had their midday meal. The elves had let them make a fire and let Master Bombur and Eglantine’s mummy cook. Eglantine sat in Master Kíli’s lap as the dwarves sang and told stories. 

Eglantine liked when Master Kíli laughed. It rumbled in his chest like thunder and shook them both as he tilted his head back and let the sound go. She didn’t think she had ever heard such a warm sound. 

Eglantine liked when Master Kíli picked her up to dance, spinning them around and rocking back and forth quickly. She squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly. 

She liked Master Kíli the most. 

—

Eglantine’s mummy looked happy and the Company seemed happy when she or Eglantine took part in their merriment. But all good things must end when one was only nine. 

She yawned. 

Her tummy was full and her eyes began to droop. Her head bonked against Master Kíli’s shoulder. He chuckled. 

“I’ll take her to the rooms for her nap,” she heard her mummy say. 

“It’s alright,” Master Kíli replied, shifting her to rest more comfortably in his arms. “I’ll put her down for her nap. You haven’t been able to eat much looking after all of us.”

Master Kíli carried Eglantine down the halls of Rivendell, rubbing her back gently in soothing circles. 

“Master Kíli?” Eglantine mumbled sleepily, pressing her face into his shoulder. 

“What is it, Eggie?”

“I wish you were my da.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not sure who should get the next POV. Any thoughts?


	9. Kíli

Kíli’s breath knotted in his throat. 

_ I wish you were my da.  _

He rubbed his thumb gently across her small back in answer, pressing a soft kiss to her curly black hair. Kíli wasn’t certain she was conscious of what she had just said, but it didn’t change the content he felt pounding in his chest. The rightness of it. He wanted to cry at the feeling.

Kíli carefully set Eglantine to bed and tucked her in like his amad did when he was younger. The little hobbit yawned and curled in on herself. If Kíli were selfish, he could almost imagine that her coloring was due to him and not the loathsome hobbit that sired her. An idea formed in his head as he left Eglantine to sleep. The idea took flight when he saw Daisy smiling happily at Ori, who was writing furiously in his journal. 

It would be the first step. If it was the only step allowed him, then he would treasure it. 

“Miss Daisy?” Kíli said, softly, drawing her attention to him. “Might I talk to you for a moment in private. I promise it’s nothing serious.”

She looked up to him with her bright eyes and nodded. Daisy asked for Ori to excuse her and the hobbit followed Kíli to a small path in the garden. “Did Eglantine get tucked in alright?” she asked. “I know she tends to fight it at times.”

“No, she went down easy. I think we’ve all kept her rather busy.”

She smiled gently and it reached her eyes. 

If he were more forward and less awkward, Kíli would lean in and seal that smile with his lips, but he was neither forward or confident in these matters so he held himself back. “Miss Daisy, I—”

“Just Daisy,” she said softly. “You let me call you by your name alone. You may do the same for me.”

“Daisy,” he repeated, the name sweet on his tongue. “I was wondering what your plans were once we reclaim the mountain. You’ll be quite wealthy and I just wished to know what you and Eggie would do once everything is settled.”

She blinked up at him in surprise. “I… I thought I would make myself useful. I am quite good at cooking and baking. I was talking with Master Bombur and he hadn’t heard of some of the hobbit treats I know to bake. I thought I might open a bakery or something to that effect.” She chewed her lip as though she could taste the possibilities before her. “I could teach. I home taught Eglantine. I was teaching her a bit of Sindarin before. Perhaps I could teach other children or adults who might want to learn. I… I must be honest, I never thought much past getting the mountain.” She looked up to him. “I feel as though this isn’t what you wanted to ask me.”

“Not exactly, no.” Kíli scratched the back of his head. “Children and women are treasured amongst us dwarrow. Even so, I want you and Eggie to be protected, especially once Eggie gets bigger and she starts, well, thinking about getting married and stuff like that.”

“I suppose I will have to learn dwarvish courting customs,” she admitted. 

“The girl’s father or closest male relative tends to be the one to help keep her protected during the courting process,” Kíli said carefully. 

“Oh.” She stopped walking and Kíli stopped beside her. 

“Daisy, I’m going to ask you something and I ask that you neither refuse or accept until I explain to you exactly what I mean. If you need Balin to further explain everything, then that’s alright too.”

She nodded carefully. 

“I want to protect you, but I also want to protect Eggie. If it is alright with you, I’d like to adopt her.”

The hobbit’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth but quickly closed it again, remembering his request. 

“Women and children are very precious to the dwarrow because there are not many of them, especially since Erebor fell. To help with inheritance and things like that, dwarrow will often adopt a child, sometimes they are orphaned and sometimes they are not. You wouldn’t lose your right to her. She will still be your daughter, but I will have a legal and moral obligation to keep her, and by extension you, safe. Legally she will be my daughter. Just mine. Fíli won’t be her uncle unless he offers, which he might, and my amad—my mother—will not be her grandmother unless she wishes, and knowing her she will.” He let that concept sink in and let Daisy mull it over. 

“What does that make us?” she asked nervously. 

“It doesn’t bind you to me,” Kíli said gently. “You wouldn’t owe me anything. I hope that I have your friendship, but even that you don’t owe it to me. I want to protect you and Eggie. This… this is the best way I know how.”

“What brought this on?”

“When I put Eggie down for her nap, she said she wished I was her da.” 

Daisy’s eyes widened. “You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he insisted. “Daisy, if I could, if I had known, I would have come to the Shire to take you and Eggie away from that troll that called himself your husband. I… I know what it’s like to grow up without a father. Mine died a bit after I was born. I never knew him like Fíli did. Thorin tries, but he’s our king and Fíli’s his heir. It’s different. I don’t want Eglantine to feel like she’s missing anything. My amad loves me, there’s no doubt in that. But there were, and still are, times where I wish my adad was still alive.”

Daisy put her hands on his arm, squeezing ever so slightly at his words and his talk of loss. “It’s an honor, Kíli, but… what if you get married and have children of your own? Surely—”

“It won’t be a problem,” he smiled down at her. He put his hand over one of hers. “I want to protect you and Eggie both. You don’t have to answer me right away. You can ask Balin more about it if that would help.”

“Thank you, Kíli,” she said quietly. “Let… let me think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisy’s POV will be next!


	10. Daisy

Daisy watched as Eglantine got up from her nap and chose to go to Kíli’s side and they began to play again. Master Bofur joined in and they played a sort of tag. Kíli lifted Eglantine onto his shoulders and they ran from Master Bofur with laughs and giggles and Daisy could not help but smile. 

She had not known him long, but she knew Kíli to be a kind dwarf with a good heart. He would make a good father someday. Daisy frowned. Would his adoption of Eglantine hurt his chances of marriage? What if he decided to marry and he had a child of his own and he no longer wanted Eglantine? What if she got remarried (although she doubted that possibility) and her future husband did not like that Eglantine thought of another man as her father?

These thoughts swirled in her head. 

_ She said she wished I was her da _ .

Daisy looked at the pair again and saw that her daughter was now cradled in Kíli’s arms tickling her feet and the girl was squealing happily, pulling on his hair and pulling his forehead to hers as they laughed. It was the sort of man Daisy would have wanted to be the father of her children. The sort of man Daisy had dreamed of—

She blushed. 

That had not been what Kíli has been asking, so she shouldn’t let that thought flourish. 

She would talk to Master Balin. He would know. 

Daisy put down her sewing and went to the advisor’s side. He was talking to Thorin about some things in their strange language, but stopped when she approached. “Master Balin, There is something I was wondering if I could ask. It’s… well, it’s private. I think it is, anyway, and I was wondering if you might help explain it to me.”

“Of course, lass,” the old dwarf said. He nodded to his king and offered Daisy his arm. They took a turn around the garden. “What is it you’d like to ask me, Miss Daisy?”

“Kíli asked me something and… well, I was not sure what to say.”

The old dwarf raised an eyebrow. “And what did Kíli ask?”

“He asked to adopt Eglantine.” She looked down to the ground they walked on. “He explained it to me, but I was just… unsure. Hobbits don’t do things like that unless a child has lost both their parents.”

Master Balin nodded and chuckled a bit. “Yes, we dwarrow have a very different idea of family.”

“So, what does that entail? What if he marries and has children of his own? He says that the adoption is not a marriage offer to me, so—”

“Lass, slow down.” Master Balin chuckled. “ _ If  _ Kíli decides to marry, it would be to a woman who would not resent him for being a part of Eglantine’s wife. No dwarf, for that matter, would find what he was asking offensive. In fact, they would see it as the right thing to do. Being a prince gives him a great amount of power and would afford Eglantine a lot of protection against those who might wish to take advantage of her for her race. However, Kíli is not Thorin’s heir and therefore does not have as much responsibilities as Fíli does. He will be more present for Eglantine and she will not necessarily have to feel that she represents the royal family unless she chooses too. You would also be brought under Kíli’s protection, only to a lesser extent. He won’t have lordship over you, but it would be his duty to protect you in the interest of the daughter you would share.”

“So, you think that I should allow it?”

“I am saying that Kíli has thought this through and would not ask you such a thing lightly. He’s young and you are younger still. You could do far worse in a dwarf who wishes to protect you and your daughter.”

“Thank you, Master Balin.”

“Just Balin will do, my dear.” The dwarf patted her hand. “You need not address us by titles. We are a Company and we are all equal. Even Thorin would not mind if you were to call him by his name alone.”

Daisy smiled. “Only if I am simply Daisy to all you.”

Balin smiled and squeezed her hand lightly. 

When they returned to the rest, Daisy let go of Balin’s arm and went to Kíli, who was still playing with Eglantine, only now they were drawing things on the stone with the chalk the elves had given the little hobbit to play with. 

“Kíli?” He looked up at her, but so did her daughter. Daisy’s heart stuttered in her chest. They looked so alike. How she wished— “I accept your offer.”

He smiled at her gently and Daisy found it made her feel at ease. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone’s catching feelings!


	11. Eglantine

Eglantine’s mother and Master Kíli explained to her very carefully about what was happening and what it meant. She hid it well, but the little girl was kind of sad that it didn’t mean her mum and Master Kíli were getting married. Even so, Master Kíli was going to be her da now, and that was all that mattered.  There were a few steps they had to go through and then there would be a little ceremony. 

First, Master Kíli had to announce his intention to Master Thorin since he was the head of Master Kíli’s family 

“Uncle,” Master Kíli said during their private dinner away from the elves. 

“Yes, Kíli?” the king asked. 

“I petition the right to adopt Eglantine Baggins and serve as her father in all but blood.” He stood proudly next to Eglantine’s mum, who was holding her. 

“Do you seek anything else?”

“Not at this time. My only wish is to adopt Eglantine Baggins as my own and take responsibility for her and her mother’s protection, especially for when they are to live with us in Erebor.”

Master Thorin’s gaze slid to Eglantine and her mum. “Do you know what my nephew asks of you?”

Her mum nodded. 

“He’s going to be my da now and tell me stories and tuck me in for my naps,” Eglantine exclaimed loudly.

The Company chuckled and Eglantine could see that Master Thorin was attempting to remain serious. 

“That’s right,” the king said at last. His gaze returned to his nephew. “Are you willing to take them both into your household and give them the protection due to a child and her mother?”

“I am.”

Master Thorin nodded. “I will let you proceed with the ceremony. It will take a day for everything to be prepared. Will that suit you?”

Master Kíli nodded. 

Master Thorin looked to the rest of the Company. “After dinner we will begin the preparations.” He looked to Master Kíli again. “You know what you have to do.”

—

Eglantine curled into her mum that night when they went to bed. Tomorrow night, Master Kíli would be her da. He even said that she could call him that if she wished to, and she did. 

“Mummy,” Eglantine said, leaning her head against her mother’s soft chest. 

“Yes, love?”

“Why can’t you and Master Kíli get married if he’s going to be my da?”

Her mum was quiet for a moment. “It is not what he asked me, sweetie.”

“Would you marry Master Kíli if he asked? You aren’t married to Father anymore.”

Eglantine knew that some of the Company had worried about that, but her mum had explained to them carefully that what she had done was basically an “absolvent” which meant they had nothing to do with one another anymore. It was sad that they could never go back to Bag End, but the Erebor sounded amazing. 

“I…” her mum thought for a moment. “He’s not interested in me in that way, sweetie.”

It wasn’t a no, but Eglantine could see her mother didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so the two curled up together to sleep, waiting for tomorrow. 

—

It was a very private thing. Even Gandalf was not allowed to take part. 

They went into a private grove in the gardens. The Company circled themselves around Eglantine, her mum, Master Kíli, and Master Thorin. Her mum stood behind Eglantine with her hands on her shoulders. Master Kíli was kneeling before them, holding Eglantine's hands in his. They were big and rough and warm. They made her feel safe. Master Thorin was kneeling beside them. He pulled out a piece of blue cloth and held it out in his hands. 

“Do you vow to protect this child as though their blood was yours, as though your seed was from which they had grown?” Master Thorin asked.

Eglantine saw Master Kíli’s eyes briefly glance up at her mum, but his face did not move. “I do.”

“Do you vow to honor this dwarf as your father as though his blood was yours, as though it had been his hands that formed you?”

“Yes,” Eglantine nodded. 

“Do you trust this dwarf to put your child before himself and trust that your child will be safe in the household he will make for himself?”

“I do,” her mum said from behind Eglantine. 

“In the name of Mahal,” Master Thorin began, wrapping the blue cloth around Eglantine and Master Kíli’s hands. “I ask that the Valar acknowledge the bond forged in the heart of these two souls. This is your father,” he said to Eglantine. “This is your daughter,” he said to Master Kíli. “From this moment on, let nothing erode the bond you have shared before the Valar and these witnesses.” He put his hand over the ribbon and their enclosed hands. “By the power granted to me as the Heir of Durin, I call you father and daughter, may you cherish the bonds given for many are left without.”

The Company cheered as Master Thorin unwrapped Eglantine and Master Kíli’s hands.

The young dwarf smiled at her. “Hello, Eggie.”

Eglantine beamed. “Da!” 

She threw her arms around his neck and he stood up and held her closely. She felt him motions for her mum to join in. Her da wrapped them both up in his arms. Eglantine felt both their hearts beating quickly against her. She glanced at her mum and saw the slight shade of pink in her cheeks. She could see the tinge of red on her da’s ears. 

Maybe there was hope for them to be a complete family. Maybe she just needed them to ask. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me on tumblr at fromtheboundlesssea
> 
> feel free to message me about anything! I even have mood boards (of sorts) to my fics!


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